


she's a keeper

by SJAandDWfan



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/F, Mysteries, Shenanigans, Unicorns, competitive quidditch captains ava and sara, look who's writing another hogwarts au it me, nobody is surprised - Freeform, who knows what else, with bonus side amaya x zari mayhaps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-17 07:24:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13072002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SJAandDWfan/pseuds/SJAandDWfan
Summary: “Clearly, you’re here because you’re worried about your competition,” Sara turns back and smiles too sweetly at her to be genuine. “Or to stare at my ass.”“Am not.”Sara gasps in mock hurt. “But I have a great ass!”Ava scoffs, a pink tinge to her cheeks. “Your ass is mediocre at best.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i've lost count of how many hogwarts au fics i've planned/written over the last few years, so have an avalance one!
> 
> the first chapter is mostly set-up and world building, but there's a little bit of plot thrown in there for good measure. do I know where the story is going? fuck no. are these beautiful idiots going to fall in love? of course they are.
> 
> inspired by the moodboard tumblr user slytherinelle created here: http://slytherinelle.tumblr.com/post/168363820264/avalance-hp-au-two-quidditch-captains-from

Sara Lance lives for one thing, and one thing only.

Quidditch.

Okay, that’s a lie. She loves her friends, she loves her family, and she loves Hogwarts. However, there’s just something about Quidditch that gets her adrenaline pumping and her heart racing. She used to watch the matches in first year, wishing it was her up there playing in the scarlet robes of the Gryffindor team.

She had gone to tryouts in second year with a beat up old Comet 260, which despite being far from the latest model, had been decently speedy and very reliable. She had come close to making the team, but it hadn’t been until third year that she’d been awarded the position as the third Chaser on the team. She had worn her number six jersey, with “Lance” written across the back in gold lettering, with more pride than she ever thought was possible, and Gryffindor had come close to winning the tournament.

In her fourth year, their Keeper had left Hogwarts, and none of the replacements that tried out had been any good. On a suggestion from the captain, Sara had tried out too. She’d had unofficial experience guarding the hoops when the team had done training drills, but she had been surprised by her natural ability. Her quick reflexes and lack of fear had made her an excellent prospective Keeper, and so she had traded in her number six jersey for a number one.

Sara had been playing the position ever since, and in her fifth year, Gryffindor had finally won the tournament. The celebration had been unlike anything Sara had ever experienced.

The downside to winning with a team comprised largely of seventh years was that they now had to scramble for new members. To her surprise, Sara had been given captaincy of the team as she entered her sixth year, and the first thing she’d decided to do was hold tryouts.

So here she is now, sitting astride her Firebolt Supreme (a broom she’d been saving for since its release) in front of the goal hoops in a September drizzle, staring down the gaggle of prospective Chasers. She needs two Chasers, a Beater, and a Seeker – and she needs good players if they’re going to repeat last year’s success.

She blocks the first three hopefuls’ shots easily, and her heart sinks. It’s not until one of the last, a fifth year named Kendra, scores on her right hoop that a grin cracks Sara’s face. She ends up drafting Kendra onto the team as the second Chaser, and the guy that fills the third spot shows promise. She also finds a wonderfully violent Beater who is probably going to intimidate the other teams nicely. All that’s left to do is find a Seeker.

There are five Seekers trying out, and unfortunately only two of them are any good. Sara sets them a challenge; she releases the snitch (one she’s charmed to fly anywhere within the school grounds) and sets both of them off after two minutes. As she watches the two of them jet off into the distance, Sara turns her attention to the stands.

There’s a smattering of people; the current team, the tryouts, and a few spectators – mainly from Gryffindor. There is one figure, however, that gets her attention. Scowling, she stomps up the steps to where the girl sits, and stands in front of her with her arms folded.

“You can’t be here, Sharpe,” Sara says tightly. “It’s tryouts.”

“Did you book the pitch?” Ava Sharpe, captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team, asks her.

Sara sets her jaw and says nothing. Ava smirks.

“Thought not. Seeing as the pitch isn’t closed, I have every right to be here.” Ava sits back against the uncomfortable wooden benching, lifting her chin defiantly.

Sara knows Ava well enough to realise she’s not going to budge unless Sara hexes her, and that’s never worked out well for her in the past, so she rolls her eyes and turns away.

“That’s it?” Ava says in confusion. “No fight?”

“Clearly, you’re here because you’re worried about your competition,” Sara turns back and smiles too sweetly at her to be genuine. “Or to stare at my ass.”

“Am not.”

Sara gasps in mock hurt. “But I have a great ass!”

Ava scoffs, a pink tinge to her cheeks. “Your ass is mediocre at best.”

“Now you’ve crossed a line,” Sara points a finger at her as she backs away. There’s a commotion from further down the stands, and Sara cranes her neck to see both Seekers, now just about visible again, dive for the snitch.

One of them loses his nerve as the pair hurtle towards the ground in a nosedive, pulling up fifteen feet from the ground. The other keeps going, and her fingers close around the snitch a few feet above the damp grass. Sara’s sure she’s going to crash, but somehow she levels out just in time, her toes dragging in the mud, but still on her broom. The girl raises her fist triumphantly above her head as she flies back to the pitch, and Sara turns to see Ava slack-jawed where she sits.

“I think I just found the best Seeker since Harry Potter himself,” she says gleefully, turning around to head down to the pitch. “See you around, Sharpe.”

Grinning from ear to ear, Sara marches onto the pitch where the girl lands, out of breath and wide-eyed.

“If I could pay you to be on this team, I would,” Sara tells her. “How come you’ve never tried out before?”

The girl shrugs. “Recent transfer to Hogwarts.”

“That’s why I didn’t recognise you,” Sara clicks. “And I would’ve remembered.”

The girl smiles and shakes her head in response to Sara’s gentle flirting, holding out her hand for Sara to shake. “I’m Amaya.”

Sara takes her hand. “Welcome to the team, Amaya. Ready to win a tournament?”

*****

Amaya’s a sixth year, same as Sara, and so the two of them quickly become friends. She’s smart, kind, and the type of funny where she doesn’t realise it, and she keeps Sara from messing around in class too much. Sara’s happy to have found not only a teammate, but a genuine friend out of the experience, and Amaya also provides some much-needed sense to her chaotic friendship group.

There’s Nate and Ray, two Ravenclaw “bros” who actually get up to so much shit together that – as a prefect – Sara really doesn’t want to know. Having said that, Ray is also a prefect, which is probably how they get away with most of their shenanigans. Jax balances them out somewhat. A fifth-year Hufflepuff with a heart of gold, he’s hardworking where Nate is not, and grounded in reality where Ray is not. Their friendship is strange sometimes, but Sara mostly doesn’t interfere. Mick and Leo form their own little duo most of the time; a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff who are so different, but startlingly similar when it comes to protecting their friends. Since Mick is on the Quidditch team with Ava, it should make him the enemy, but Sara is loathe to think that of her friends, so they simply refrain from discussing tactics with each other. Besides, Nate, Jax and Leo are on their respective teams too, but Sara can’t help but feel the classic Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry.

Or maybe, as Zari points out, she just has a rivalry with Ava.

Zari is one of the few people in the group who doesn’t play Quidditch. She claims she’s not a sporty person, but Sara’s seen her sprint for the feast in the Great Hall on more than one occasion so she’s calling bullshit on that. She has a feeling Zari just doesn’t like flying, but she decides it’s not a good idea to press the issue. Zari is in Ravenclaw with Nate and Ray, but she’s very different to what most people envision of a Ravenclaw. In short; she’s a rule-breaker. Sara’s had many conversations with her about it, and they usually boil down to Zari being of the opinion that rules actually limit creative possibility, and as such, she’s always looking for a loophole.

Amaya ends up fitting into their little group really well, and she and Zari in particular hit it off right away. Sara’s really glad of this, because she knows Zari has a tendency to hole herself away on a project and with Sara having prefect and Quidditch captain responsibilities this year, she’s glad Amaya can be there to make sure Zari eats and sleeps like a semi-regular human being.

Training starts out a little shaky; Sara may be entering her fourth year on the team but she’s never been in charge of it before, and it takes time for the new team to gel. After a few initial bumps, however, they start to pull together, and Sara can really see the potential this team has. Their first match is against Ravenclaw, and Sara knows how smart their team is, so she works a lot on finding the right tactics for the game.

She and Amaya are poring over the formation diagrams Sara’s drawn when they’re interrupted by the arrival of Zari, who flings down her bag and collapses on one of the sofas in the Gryffindor common room. Amaya had given her the password, and Zari would often come hang out with them; something the other Gryffindors had just learned to accept.

Sara quickly scrambles to hide the drawings.

“What’s that?” Zari asks.

“Nothing,” Sara says, a little too quickly to be convincing, and Zari rolls her eyes.

“Whatever,” Zari shrugs. “It’s Quidditch, anyway. I wouldn’t get it.”

“That’s not true,” Amaya says, and Sara curses Amaya’s inner Hufflepuff sometimes. “You’re one of the smartest people I know.”

Zari’s lips quirk into something resembling a wry smile. “You think so?”

“Totally,” Amaya puts a hand on Zari’s knee and chews her bottom lip for a moment before grabbing a piece of parchment out of Sara’s hands. “Look.”

Before Sara can stop her, Amaya shows Zari one of their new drills in diagram form. It’s top secret – something they’re going to pull on Ravenclaw when they least expect it, and Zari looks at it with interest.

“You’re right, I think I do get what’s happening in this,” Zari comments, and Sara resists the urge to slam her own head onto the table. Repeatedly.

“Amaya, who are we playing next week?” Sara asks through gritted teeth.

“Ravenclaw,” Amaya looks at Sara like she’s stupid.

“And remind me again what house our lovely friend Zari is in.”

“Raven—oh,” Amaya’s eyes widen. “Shit.”

“It’s okay,” Zari reassures them. “I don’t give a shit about the team. You guys are my friends, not them.”

“Promise you won’t spill our top secret-“ she glances meaningfully at Amaya, who grimaces, “-plans to anyone?”

“Promise,” Zari confirms.

“She’s just in here so often,” Amaya mutters, mostly to herself, “I forgot she’s not in our house…”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sara teases, more relaxed now she knows her confidential tactics are going to stay that way. “Also, Zari totally played you. She fished for the compliment and you jumped at the chance to give it.”

“In my defence, I was just trying to get you to tell me what was going on,” Zari smirks at Amaya, who frowns in concern. “I thought it would take more effort, you’re so sweet.”

“Shut up,” Amaya huffs, looking a bit embarrassed. “Stupid Ravenclaw intelligence.”

“Okay, you know that doesn’t make any sense,” Zari teases, poking Amaya in the shoulder, and it strikes Sara that this is probably Zari’s way of flirting.

“I’m gonna go train,” Sara says, feeling the sudden need to vacate the area in case Amaya and Zari start being even more nauseatingly adorable.

“Without the rest of the team?” Amaya shouts after her, but Sara is already crawling through the hole in the wall and out of the common room. “Or your broom?”

*****

Sara realises her crucial mistake as soon as she’s two steps down the corridor, but she’s made an exit now and it would be embarrassing to have to go back in there to get her broomstick. Instead, she simply wanders the halls of the castle for a long while; something she’s started to enjoy after starting prefect patrols last year.

She’s not on patrol tonight, but as it turns out, Ava is.

They come around the corner at the same time, walking straight into each other before recoiling and drawing their wands. Sara lowers her wand when she realises it’s Ava, but she still keeps a tight grip on it, just in case.

“What are you doing, Lance?” Ava asks suspiciously. “It’s past curfew.”

“I’m a prefect,” Sara replies, pointing to her chest.

“Your badge isn’t there,” Ava says shortly. “You’re literally just pointing to your boobs.”

“Shit,” Sara closes her eyes briefly. “Why were you looking, anyway?”

“Because you were pointing there!” Ava exclaims. “When you point it sort of draws the eye and… never mind. Look, I know you’re a prefect, dumbass, I was asking why you’re out here when you’re not even on patrol.”

“Why do you have my schedule memorised, stalker?” Sara fires back.

“I have everyone’s schedules memorised,” Ava states matter-of-factly.

“ _What_?” Sara laughs. “I was joking, but okay. Maybe I’m here for the pleasure of your company, you ever consider that?”

“No, because that would be insane,” Ava says. “You hate me.”

“I wouldn’t say…” Sara trails off, before Ava quirks an eyebrow at her and she’s mad again. “No, I do hate you, actually. And you hate me.”

“That’s right,” Ava nods resolutely. “Um, your face is dumb, and I think your patronus isn’t that badass.”

“Excuse you, a canary is totally badass,” Sara scoffs. “Just cause yours is some kind of big cat-“

“Sabre-toothed tiger,” Ava interjects.

“ _Whatever_ ,” Sara says. “Anyway, you like my face.”

“No I don’t.”

“Do too,” Sara’s smirking now. “I keep catching you staring at it, after all.”

“Only cause I’m planning what jinxes to cast,” Ava narrows her eyes.

“Okay, so do all jinxes require the staring, or is it just the ones you’re planning on?” Sara’s quite enjoying herself. Ava is infuriating, but in a way that’s really fun to push back against.

“Wanna find out?” Ava challenges her.

“A duel, right now?” Sara raises her eyebrows. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Yep.”

“Hmm, I’m actually a little tired right now, and I think I’ve got this inner ear thing, see,” Sara steps into Ava’s personal space, trying to get a rise out of her. It backfires slightly when Ava stands her ground and Sara ends up a lot closer to her face than she was anticipating.

It bothers her that Ava’s taller than she is, and she looks up at Ava’s face with a cocky grin. Ava’s eyes widen almost imperceptibly, and Sara’s sure for a second that her eyes dart down to her lips before staring resolutely over Sara’s shoulder.

“You just know I’d beat you like last time,” Ava shrugs.

“I beat you the two times before that,” Sara reminds her.

Ava barks out a laugh. “One of those doesn’t count; you used a tickling charm to win.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Sara grins smugly, and Ava grits her teeth.

“You’re such an asshole.”

“Takes one to know one,” Sara cocks her head to one side, enjoying the reaction she’s getting.

Ava takes a step closer to her, and Sara draws herself to her full height. They’re very close together now, and it makes Sara nervous for some reason. She grips her wand tighter for security.

“Back to the common room, Lance,” Ava says lowly, a hint of a smile on her face. “I wouldn’t want to have to give you detention.”

“Prefects can’t give detention,” Sara scoffs.

“Uh, yes we can. Didn’t you read your rulebook?”

“Why would I do that?” Sara asks. “Takes all the fun out of it.”

“Of course,” Ava rolls her eyes. “In summary: I can give you detention.”

“Well, that means I can give you detention too,” Sara reasons, standing her ground. “So if you give me a detention, I’ll just give you one right back.”

Ava opens her mouth to retort, and then shuts it again. “You—”

Sara smirks, knowing she’s won this round. She makes sure to brush her body against Ava’s as she passes, knowing it will annoy her to no end. She catches a glimpse of Ava biting her bottom lip, presumably out of frustration. As Sara walks away, she turns around to face Ava, saluting her with two fingers as she winks.

“Until next time, Sharpe.”

*****

She sees Ava during class the next day. It’s Defence Against the Dark Arts, a class the Gryffindors and Slytherins share, and Sara’s partnered up with Amaya for the practical part of their lesson. Because of the smaller class sizes due to this being a NEWT level class, there’s plenty of space in the classroom. The lesson of the day is nonverbal spells, and it’s something that, to her annoyance, Sara isn’t picking up easily.

She’d gotten an ‘Outstanding’ in the class on her OWLS, and had breezed through pretty much everything until now, but for some reason, trying to disarm Amaya without uttering an incantation is proving a challenge. Amaya tries to help her, but it’s not like Sara doesn’t know what the technicalities of the task are. She just can’t _do_ it.

Ava picks that moment to approach them, having mastered the spell within ten minutes. Sara sees her coming and fights the urge to roll her eyes.

“May I cut in?” Ava asks Amaya, who narrows her eyes suspiciously, but steps aside.

Ava faces Sara, holding her wand out to the side. “I think your problem might be intent.”

“Stalker,” Sara mutters under her breath.

“You don’t actually want to disarm Amaya,” Ava continues. “She’s your friend, after all. Sometimes it takes someone you don’t like to get you started on the intensity you need for nonverbal spellcasting.”

“And that’s where you come in?” Sara exchanges amused glances with Amaya.

“Exactly,” Ava nods. “Now imagine I’ve pissed you off.”

“My greatest challenge,” Sara says sarcastically, pulling half a smile from Ava.

“Now,” Ava says, “disarm me.”

Sara tries, she really does, but nothing happens. Growling in frustration, she points her wand at Ava and thinks _Expelliarmus_ as loud as she can.

“Think of all the times I’ve annoyed you,” Ava says.

“You’re doing it now,” Sara grits out, and Ava smirks at her.

It’s the smirk that does it; the next thing Sara knows, the magic is rushing through her fingertips, down her wand, and with a colossal effort, she disarms Ava.

Ava’s wand clatters to the ground, and Sara releases a breath. There are beads of sweat at her hairline; she has no idea why it had been so difficult to do, but she’s managed it.

“Told you,” Ava says breezily. “It’s all about intent.”

“Good thing you’re so irritating then,” Sara replies, but the effect is ruined somewhat by the fact that she’s actually kind of out of breath. Calming her breathing down, she nods awkwardly at Ava “Uh, thanks.”

Ava shrugs, and says nothing. The professor ends the lesson just then, which is a relief for Sara because she really doesn’t want to embarrass herself by making small talk with Ava. Instead, she grabs Amaya’s arm and practically drags her in the direction of the Great Hall for lunch.

*****

The Quidditch match against Ravenclaw lasts about twenty minutes before Amaya catches the snitch, and the extra one hundred and fifty points means Gryffindor win two hundred points to Ravenclaw’s twenty. Sara’s irritated she let herself be scored on twice, but they win easily, and she’ll take it for a first match.

She feels a bit bad for Nate, who plays on the Ravenclaw team, but mostly she’s just relieved that she isn’t an instant failure as a captain. She makes sure to give special congratulations to Kendra, who had scored three of their five goals, before retreating back to the common room for the standard night of partying.

She makes it until just gone eleven at night before she can’t take the noise anymore. Fastening her prefect badge to her red and gold sweater, Sara grabs her Firebolt Supreme and opens the window of her dorm. The castle doors will be closed for the night now that it’s past curfew, so the window is the only way out.

Vaulting onto her broom, Sara takes to the skies, relishing the cool air on her face as the wind whips at her loose hair. She pushes forward and her broom takes off like a rocket, whizzing over the grounds. Being a Keeper, Sara never gets to go very far or very fast, so these late night flying sessions have become an outlet that helps her relive her Chaser days. She loves being a Keeper, she really does, but there’s something about the speed and the precision that Chasers require that she really misses sometimes.

Sara’s not really paying attention to where she’s going, so it takes her by surprise when she spots a figure hovering above the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They’re on a broom, too, and Sara slips her wand out from her sleeve, ready to strike.

She breathes a sigh of relief when she recognises Ava.

“You scared the shit out of me, Sharpe,” Sara calls out.

Ava shushes her frantically, eyes wide, and something cold and unpleasant makes its way to Sara’s stomach. Ava looks almost… scared.

Ava motions downwards, and Sara follows her to the ground, landing softly in the grass just outside the boundaries of the forest. Ava quietly presses them both against a tree trunk and listens intently. Sara holds her breath, focusing on the rise and fall of Ava’s chest and not knowing quite what she’s gotten herself into.

After a minute or so with no disturbance, Ava sighs and relaxes.

“What the hell is going on?” Sara whispers.

“I don’t know,” Ava says, “I was just out here to clear my head and I heard weird noises coming from the forest.”

“Weird noises always come from the forest,” Sara says, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“No, these weren’t the usual kind,” Ava shakes her head. “It sounded like something was in distress.”

“What?”

Ava bites her lip in worry. “I think someone or something was attacking a Unicorn.”

Sara feels her stomach drop. Nothing that was meant to be in the Forbidden Forest would ever take on a Unicorn. They could outrun a werewolf with ease, and were so pure a creature that even the worst beasts out there would think twice before crossing the line of slaying one. Her mind instantly goes back to the stories she’s heard of Harry Potter’s first year at Hogwarts, but that terror is far behind them. Voldemort is well and truly dead this time, so who or what is doing this now?

Ava opens her mouth to say something, but Sara hears a rustle and clamps her hand down over Ava’s mouth, holding a finger to her own lips. Ava’s eyes are wide, and Sara shrinks further into the tree as she hears the thundering of hooves approach.

Before long, a pure white Unicorn bursts through the undergrowth in a panic, galloping so fast it’s little more than a blur. Sara sucks in a breath, and she feels Ava do the same. She’s studied Unicorns, of course, and she’s even come close to one in a Care of Magical Creatures class, but she’s still unprepared for this.

The Unicorn streaks away to hide God-knows-where, and Sara takes her hand away from Ava’s mouth. Ava seems to realise how close they’re standing, and backs up a pace or two. She frowns at something on the ground, and bends down to examine it.

There’s a few drops of silvery-blue liquid on the grass, and Ava reaches out to touch it. She stands back up and lets Sara examine her fingers.

Sara recognises the liquid immediately.

“Unicorn blood.”

Ava looks at her worriedly, and Sara knows she’s scared because she doesn’t use the opportunity to point out she was right. Something out in the forest really is trying to take down a Unicorn.

“We need to go to a professor about this,” Ava says.

“Hang on,” Sara says. “It wouldn’t be the first time a professor at Hogwarts has turned out to be less than savoury. We need someone we can trust.”

She and Ava both think for a moment, before Ava clicks her fingers.

“Professor Hunter.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter two coming at you just in time for christmas!
> 
> third and final chapter hopefully will be up in the next week
> 
> hope you enjoy!

As Sara suspected, the main doors to the castle are closed, so she and Ava fly directly to Professor Hunter’s office window. Ava taps on the glass, and Hunter startles awake from what is presumably a stress-induced nap. He gets up from his desk with a confused frown on his face, and opens the window.

“We need help,” Ava starts.

“Can we come in?” Sara asks.

Bewildered, Hunter lets them in, and the window is just about big enough to fly through if they crouch. Sara’s feet touch the ground and she and Ava dismount their brooms. Sara leans her Firebolt against the wall and turns to face the professor.

“Miss Sharpe, Miss Lance,” Hunter begins, “I don’t know what the meaning of this is. Care to explain? Why do you need help?”

Sara and Ava exchange glances.

“Can we trust you?” Sara asks, and Hunter’s expression softens slightly.

“Of course you can,” he reassures them, and Sara believes him. He has been their Transfiguration professor for over five years, after all.

“We think someone, or something, is targeting a Unicorn in the Forbidden Forest,” Ava says quietly.

“Pardon?” Hunter looks like this was one of the last possibilities he expected to hear.

“Ava heard a commotion,” Sara steps in, not missing the way Ava looks at her with surprise. “An injured Unicorn ran out of the forest not long after. We think someone might be after its blood.”

“Of course,” Hunter seems as if he’s had a lightbulb moment. “The healing powers of Unicorn blood.”

“Isn’t Unicorn blood banned?” Sara asks.

“Yes,” Hunter confirms. “See, the blood of a Unicorn will keep one alive no matter how close they are to death, but at a cost.”

“You’ve killed something so innocent and pure for selfish motives,” Ava interrupts, fire in her eyes, “that you live a half-life, cursed, from the second you drink it.”

“And someone or something out there is so desperate to live that it’s willing to cross that line?” Sara chews a fingernail, wracking her brains for anything that might help them figure out what the hell is going on.

“It appears so, Miss Lance,” Professor Hunter says, collapsing back into his chair. “I need time to mull this over.”

“And in the meantime we just let something attack innocent creatures?” Ava says loudly, and Hunter shushes her.

Sara looks at her in surprise. The only time she’s seen Ava this worked up about something is when someone accused her of cheating on her OWLs. She doesn’t know why, but she wants to put a placating hand on her arm. However, that’s a boundary she’s not entirely sure she’s allowed to cross, so she clenches her fists at her side.

“We won’t do nothing,” Hunter promises, “but we can’t intervene until we know more. It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s worth it,” Sara says determinedly. She truly hates the idea of something attacking the Unicorns, and she’s as keen as Ava to put a stop to it at whatever cost.

“You’re not thinking clearly, either of you,” Hunter says tiredly. “If it’ll make you feel better, see if you can track down and treat this injured Unicorn tomorrow.”

Sara nods sharply and makes to leave out of the office door when Hunter continues.

“Stay out of the forest.”

“What if the Unicorn’s in the forest?” Ava asks.

Professor Hunter sighs. “Then there’s nothing you can do for now.”

“But we will do _something_?” Sara presses.

“In due course, yes,” Hunter sighs, looking exhausted. “Is there anything else I can do for you ladies?”

“No,” Ava says, setting her jaw.

Hunter lets them out of his office, and the door swings shut behind them. Now it’s just Sara and Ava walking down the dimly-lit corridor in the early hours of the morning, both of them clutching their broomsticks and both of them knowing they won’t sleep well tonight.

“Should we tell anyone about this?” Ava puzzles. “I don’t want to cause panic amongst the student body.”

“You’re so formal,” Sara mutters, but there’s no bite to it. She’s too tired to make fun of Ava properly. “I agree, for what it’s worth. This is need to know information.”

Ava nods. “We’ve got to find that Unicorn. We don’t know how badly it’s hurt.”

“We need Amaya,” Sara decides. When Ava looks at her in confusion, she elaborates. “Amaya’s amazing with animals, but especially magical ones. She’s already top of her class in Care of Magical Creatures. If we want to get close enough to help this Unicorn, we’re going to need her help.”

Ava bites the inside of her cheek, and Sara knows she’s dying to question Sara’s decision to bring Amaya into this, but to her surprise, she doesn’t comment. It’s weird, having Ava hold back, and Sara’s not quite sure what’s changed.

“I didn’t know you cared so much about Unicorn welfare,” Sara says in an awkward attempt to break the silence.

Ava shrugs. “I just don’t want this _thing_ to hurt anyone.”

Sara feels like there’s more to it than that, but she doesn’t want to press the issue. Ava’s actually being reasonably civil, and she doesn’t want to jinx it.

“I don’t think you’ve ever called me by my first name before,” Ava says quietly, after another minute of silence.

“What?” Sara says, furrowing her brow.

“No, only ‘Sharpe’ until in there,” Ava continues, studying the tapestries on the walls as they walk past.

“Well, I am tired,” Sara jokes, “Must’ve slipped out. It won’t happen again, Supreme Overlord Sharpe.”

Ava glares at her. “It wasn’t a complai-“ she cuts herself off. “Never mind.”

Sara tilts her head slightly. She doesn’t know if it’s the poor lighting, or if Ava’s actually blushing a bit. Either way, Ava hates her, so there’s no point in trying to figure out the finer points of her meaning.

It’s only a few seconds later that Sara realises Ava’s walked with her all the way to Gryffindor tower. They halt outside the portrait, and Ava shifts, clasping her hands behind her back and clearing her throat.

“Notify me when you and Amaya search for the Unicorn,” she says, looking at the flagstones beneath her feet. “I want to be a part of this. I believe it’s my duty as, um, a prefect.”

“Sure,” Sara says, desperately wanting to ask Ava why this means so much to her, but knowing it wouldn’t be a good idea. “Night, Sharpe.”

“Lance,” Ava nods once, and turns on her heel, walking away towards the Slytherin dorms with a tight grasp on her broom. Sara watches her go, the tiredness beginning to set in.

The woman in the portrait clears her throat, and Sara jumps.

“Password?”

“Uh, butterbeer,” Sara snaps out of it, waiting for the portrait to swing forwards before ducking into the common room.

She’s not sure why, but she’s not entirely surprised to find Amaya and Zari curled up together on one of the sofas in front of the dying embers of a fire. She wishes she could take a picture, but she also knows she has to wake them. If Zari’s discovered in the morning, she’ll probably be in trouble.

Sara nudges Amaya’s shoulder, watching her brow furrow as she’s pulled from sleep into consciousness. She cracks an eye open, clocking Sara first, then realising Zari is using her other shoulder as a pillow. Her eyes widen almost comically, and it’s only because Sara’s so exhausted that she’s not bursting into laughter.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Sara tries for a serious tone, but she knows she’s failing epically. “I need your help with something.”

Zari’s just about awake by then. “I should probably go,” she says, making no move whatsoever to get up from the sofa.

“No,” Amaya protests. She turns to Sara. “Whatever you say to me, Zari can hear too, right?”

It feels oddly like a challenge, and Sara weighs it up in her head. She trusts Zari, so there’s no reason she can’t know about this too.

“Yeah, you can stay,” Sara says to Zari, who gives her a thumbs up from where she’s still leaning against Amaya’s shoulder. “Just don’t repeat what I’m about to tell you to anyone, got it?”

“Promise,” Amaya says. “What’s up?”

“Sharpe and I heard a commotion in the forest, like something was being attacked,” Sara starts, but she doesn’t get any further before the questions start.

“Sharpe?” Zari interrupts. “As in, Ava Sharpe?”

“Yes,” Sara frowns in confusion.

“Why were you in the forest with her?” Zari’s expression is gleeful, and Sara rolls her eyes.

“I wasn’t _with her_ with her,” she explains. “I saw her and she shushed me because she heard the weird noises.”

“If you weren’t getting it on with Sharpe, which would’ve been a long time coming by the way, then what were you doing?” Zari asks with interest.

“I just went for a fly around on my broom,” Sara says defensively.

“And, coincidentally, so did she,” Amaya joins in with a smirk.

“I am not fucking Ava Sharpe!” Sara exclaims.

There’s a silence for about twenty seconds before Zari speaks quietly. “Never said anything about fucking.”

“Just—” Sara pinches the bridge of her nose. “Forget it. Can I get to the actual issue at hand, please?”

“Go ahead,” Amaya says placatingly.

“Long story short, there’s someone or something in the forest attacking Unicorns for their blood,” Sara says, and Amaya and Zari exchange horrified looks. “We saw an injured one run out of the woods, but we don’t know how badly it’s hurt. Tomorrow we’re going to try and find it, and that’s where you come in.”

“Me?” Amaya looks confused.

“You’re the best with animals,” Zari says to her. “I’m guessing if anyone can track this Unicorn and let us get close enough to treat it, it’s you.”

“Exactly,” Sara says. “Are you in?”

“Of course,” Amaya doesn’t even hesitate.

“Great. Seven pm, we meet by the main doors,” Sara sighs, feeling the tiredness start to take over her body. “Zari, you should probably head back to your own dorms. I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

“Trouble is underrated,” Zari yawns, but she stands up and stretches all the same. “Night, guys.”

“Goodnight,” Amaya says softly, and Zari gives her a sleepy half-smile as she pushes the portrait up so she can climb out of the common room. Sara has no concerns about Zari sneaking back to Ravenclaw tower undetected; it probably wouldn’t be the first time.

“Come on,” Sara says around a tired yawn. “I need proper sleep, and we can’t all have nap buddies like you do.”

Amaya looks embarrassed, but she follows Sara up the spiral staircase to their dorms all the same.

*****

Amaya and Zari are already waiting by the time Sara tracks Ava down and brings her to the main doors of the castle.

“You’re late,” Zari says with raised eyebrows, folding her arms like a judgemental parent.

“Not my fault Sharpe decided now would be the best time to study at the back of the library,” Sara defends herself.

Ava rolls her eyes. “I was looking up treatments for injured Unicorns, you dipshit.”

Zari snorts and Sara turns to Ava, offended.

“I’m not a dipshit,” she protests.

“I beg to differ,” Ava smirks, and Sara narrows her eyes.

“This isn’t over,” she says warningly.

“Can you guys flirt later?” Zari cuts in. “We need to actually find this Unicorn.”

“Why is she here?” Ava asks Sara, motioning to Zari with a tilt of her head. “I thought you were just telling Amaya.”

“They’re sort of a package deal,” Sara says with a smirk, and both Amaya and Zari actually have the grace to look a tad embarrassed. “What’s your problem with Zari?”

“Nothing,” Ava says. “It’s just a deviation from the plan. Plus, she’s kinda mean.”

Sara looks at her incredulously. “So are you.”

Ava looks as if she’s going to argue, but she pauses. “Fair point,” she concedes eventually.

Finally, they set off in search of the injured Unicorn. Amaya leads them, eyes almost completely shut as she seemingly tries to sense where the creature would’ve gone. The other three follow her in silence, all of them with so many questions, but not wanting to break Amaya’s concentration by asking them.

It takes them a while, but they eventually track down the Unicorn hiding at the Northern edge of the Forbidden Forest, up past the Quidditch pitch. Sara has absolutely no idea how Amaya had managed to find it, but she’s not about to question their good fortune.

The Unicorn watches them warily from the outskirts of the forest as they approach, its pure white coat a beacon in the darkness, and Sara comes to a halt, tugging Ava and Zari back with her so that Amaya can make the first contact by herself.

Amaya stops about ten feet away from the Unicorn, keeping her eyes on the ground. Sara can hear her murmuring things in a calming voice to the creature, although she’s too far away for Sara to make out what she’s actually saying.

Amaya takes an apple out of her jacket pocket and holds it out, seemingly as a goodwill offering. The Unicorn raises its head, pricking its ears and sniffing the air with interest. After a moment’s hesitation, the Unicorn creeps forwards cautiously, until it’s close enough to stretch and take the apple from Amaya’s hand. Talking softly all the while, Amaya steps forwards and strokes the crest of the Unicorn’s neck as it munches on the apple, relaxing under Amaya’s steady hand.

Sara doesn’t realise she’s gripping Ava’s arm until Amaya motions them forwards. She looks down at where her hand is clutching just above Ava’s wrist, then up at Ava, who looks confused. She doesn’t seem angry though. Sara reasons it’s because she too is in awe of the creature in front of them.

As Sara approaches, she can see the deep gash in the Unicorn’s flank, like someone’s tried to use a slashing charm on it, and her blood boils.

“The wound is too precise to be caused by an animal,” Amaya confirms her suspicions. “Looks like we’re dealing with a witch or wizard.”

Sara and Ava exchange worried glances.

“Does anyone have something to treat it with?” Amaya asks.

“I might have something,” Zari says hesitantly.

“But?” Sara prompts.

“But it’s tricky, and it might hurt a bit,” Zari says, giving the Unicorn an apologetic look.

Amaya nods. “Do it. He’s lost a lot of blood.”

Sure enough, Sara can spot puddles of the same silvery-blue blood on the floor, and she uses a quick vanishing charm so that nobody can get their hands on it if they come looking. Zari steps forwards to pat the Unicorn on his nose, and draws her wand.

Immediately, the Unicorn recoils, and Amaya has to work hard to soothe him.

“She won’t attack you,” Amaya promises the nervous creature. “I promise she’s here to heal you.”

The Unicorn snorts and eyes Zari warily. Amaya reaches for Zari’s hand, and strokes the creature’s shoulder with the other. Zari’s eyes go wide, and she looks at Amaya in wonder.

“Feel that?” Amaya says, and Sara’s not sure whether she’s talking to Zari or the Unicorn. Maybe both. She looks at Ava, who appears as stunned as Sara feels. “It’s all going to be okay.”

Amaya turns to Zari and nods. Zari sucks in a breath, and points her wand at the gash on the Unicorn’s flank.

“ _Vulnera Sanentur_ ,” she says, and to Sara’s amazement, the wound stops bleeding. Zari repeats the spell, almost like a chant, and the residue is cleared. After the third incantation, the flesh starts to knit back together. Zari’s eyes are closed, and beads of sweat are breaking out at her hairline like this spell is taking a lot out of her, and the Unicorn shifts restlessly in discomfort.

In a matter of seconds, the only thing marring the Unicorn’s pure white coat is a thin scar where the gash used to be. Zari takes a step back and lowers her wand, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. The other hand is still interlocked with Amaya’s, and Sara suddenly feels like she’s intruded on a private moment when they look at each other.

*****

“Does this mean we’re part of the team that’s gonna take down this bastard?” Zari asks as they walk back to the castle a while later.

“Why, was that your audition?” Sara asks. “Where did you learn that spell, anyway?”

“I read a lot,” Zari shrugs. “I came across that spell and a few others in an old book somewhere over the summer.”

“Looks difficult,” Ava comments, and Sara’s surprised that for once there’s no sarcasm in her tone.

“It takes a lot of concentration,” Zari explains.

“It was amazing,” Sara assures her. She looks at Amaya. “Speaking of amazing… how the hell did you manage to track him down?”

“I’m not sure,” Amaya sighs. “All I know is that I’ve always been connected to animals; their spirits I suppose. That’s what I was doing when I took your hand,” she tells Zari. “I was trying to make a connection between your spirit and the Unicorn’s so that he would trust you.”

“That explains it,” Zari says in wonderment.

“Explains what?” Ava furrows her brow, looking genuinely interested.

“I felt a rush of something,” Zari says. “Like fight or flight, and nerves, and something more powerful and older than I could’ve imagined.”

Amaya looks surprised. “I… didn’t know I could do that to other people,” she says. “I thought it was just me who felt that.”

“Dude, this is so cool,” Sara grins. “Zari’s got mad healing skills, and you can talk to animals and connect spirits.”

“So, this witch or wizard, whoever they are,” Ava brings it back around to business. “How and when are we going after them?”

“Soon,” Sara promises. “I think we need to hit the books and brush up on our defensive spells, just in case there’s a fight.”

Ava nods, a strange smile playing across her lips. “That’s actually a pretty good idea.”

“No need to sound so surprised,” Sara laughs. “I am capable of rational thinking from time to time.”

Ava rolls her eyes. “Very occasionally, I suppose.”

*****

They wait nearly a week before venturing into the Forbidden Forest.

The time is spent reading up on and practicing curses and counter-curses in the Room of Requirement, and with Ava asking Sara if they should tell Professor Hunter what they have planned. For all she had seemed defiant and eager to go after whoever was attacking Unicorns when they had first gone to Hunter about it, Ava now seems to be realising what it is exactly they’re planning to do, and it’s clear she’s losing her nerve somewhat.

“It’s better he doesn’t know,” Sara reassures her for the fifth time in two days. “He might go to Headmaster Stein and stop us. And we need to put an end to it.”

“Alternately, he’ll go to Stein, who will evacuate the school,” Amaya points out. “And then this dark wizard will know something’s up.”

“It’s best to continue like normal and attack when they least expect it,” Sara says. “The less people that know, the better.”

“I still think it’s irresponsible,” Ava says, biting her lip. “However, I also think you’re right.”

“I am?” Sara’s shocked. She puts the back of her hand to Ava’s forehead. “Are you ill?”

“Shut up,” Ava pushes Sara’s hand away. “You had a good idea, don’t let it go to your head.”

“Too late,” Sara grins smugly.

They finish their unofficial training session for the day, and step out of the Room of Requirement into the corridor. Ava realises she’s late for her Quidditch practice, so she takes off. Sara stays with Amaya and Zari, chatting idly. Just then, Nate and Ray come around the corner and slow to a halt, a surprised look on their faces as they regard the three of them.

Nate points at Sara. “I could’ve sworn we just saw you and Sharpe on the third floor.”

Sara looks at him in confusion. “We haven’t been there all day.”

Nate narrows his eyes, but accepts it. “Must’ve been someone else,” he says slowly. “What are you guys doing up here anyway? Wait, were you using the Room of Requirement?”

“I—yes,” Zari says.

“Why?”

Amaya and Sara stutter for an answer, so Zari steps in smoothly.

“You know we always talk about how Sara and Sharpe need to get a room?” She asks, and Sara chokes on air as Ray and Nate nod casually. “Well, they’re about to, so if you could move along, it would be much appreciated.”

“You talk about what now?” Sara manages, but everyone ignores her except Amaya, who’s shaking with silent laughter.

“Why are you two here then?” Ray asks confusedly.

“To make sure Sara doesn’t bolt out of nerves,” Zari explains. “She _really_ likes Ava, you see.”

“No, I don’t!” Sara protests.

“Classic denial,” Zari sighs dramatically, and shoos the boys away.

Once they’re out of sight, Sara turns to glare at Zari.

“That’s the best you could come up with?” She whisper-shouts.

Zari shrugs. “I needed something convincing.”

“You—” Sara rubs her temples tiredly. “You really think that about me and Ava?”

“Maybe a little bit,” Zari shrugs apologetically.

“There _is_ a lot of tension,” Amaya backs her up.

“Yeah, cause we don’t like each other,” Sara says.

Zari laughs shortly. “Come on, Sara, surely you don’t still believe that after the past few days?”

Sara considers this for a minute. Sure, she and Ava have been at each other’s throats for as long as she can remember, but there’s an edge to it that she can sort of understand how it would come off as a strange sort of flirting. And maybe Sara thinks Ava isn’t terrible looking, that she’s tall and lithe and has really nice hair and pretty eyes and a nice face in general, even when her features are arranged in a scowl. And maybe Sara also thinks that Ava’s an annoyingly good Quidditch player, and a powerful witch, and there are things she wants to know more about, like why Ava’s so invested in the well-being of the Unicorns. But Ava hates her, and Sara says as much to Zari and Amaya.

They both openly laugh in her face.

“What?” Sara asks in confusion.

“If you actually think Ava hates you,” Zari says, wiping her eyes, “then you need your head examining.”

“Sara,” Amaya says gently, placing a hand on her arm. “Yes, Ava has a general disdain for people. But she likes bickering with you. Maybe because she wants your attention?”

“Huh,” Sara says. That… might make sense. But she doesn’t want to confront it now, not with everything else that’s going on, so she shakes her head. “However we may or may not feel shouldn’t matter right now,” she says. “We should be focusing our energy on taking down whoever’s in the forest.”

Amaya and Zari glance quickly at each other before nodding their agreement, and the three of them split off.

*****

When the four of them do seek out the Forbidden Forest later that week, they make sure that all the duelling knowledge they’ve been studying is well at the forefront of their minds. Amaya brings her broomstick, a fast but slightly unsafe racing broom called the Thunderbolt VII, with her.

“Just in case,” she says with a shrug.

They travel quietly through the forest in the direction of where Ava had heard the commotion nearly a week previously, wand tips illuminated to light their path in the darkness. None of them speak beyond the occasional whisper, their ears straining for anything that may lead them to the source of the mystery.

After about half an hour of trekking, Amaya puts out an arm to stop them.

“ _Nox_ ,” she whispers, extinguishing the light at the tip of her wand, and the others follow suit, plunging them into total darkness.

Just ahead, there’s a clearing, where a shadow seems to be moving around. Sara grips her wand tighter with one hand, and grips Ava’s shoulder with the other. She feels Ava’s free hand squeeze her own reassuringly, and she frowns at the way her heart stutters.

Nerves, she tells herself.

Extinguishing the light of their wands cloaks them, but it also means they can’t see ahead very well at all, and that’s why the first spell takes them by surprise. A beam of red light comes close to hitting Zari, and they scatter.

So it seems their opponent is a master of nonverbal spellcasting. Great. Sara grits her teeth as she sprints for better cover. Another red beam comes her way.

“ _Protego_!” She yells, slashing her wand downwards to conjure a shield charm. The red beam hits the invisible shield and dissipates as Sara dives behind a big tree.

She may have just stopped herself from being stunned, but she’d given away her position to do so. Sara hears rustling to her left, and tries to quiet her breathing. Another beam hits the trunk of the tree, splintering the wood, and she hopes the others are having better luck than she is.

Heart pounding, she leans around the tree in the direction of the spell.

“ _Expelliarmus_!”

Sara’s spell hits a shield – stronger than the one she herself can produce – and the spell is bounced back to her. Her wand flies out of her hand, and she ducks back behind the tree. She has no idea where her wand has gone, and she tries not to panic.

“ _Reducto_!” Someone, Sara thinks it’s Zari, shouts, and a small tree near where Sara imagines her attacker is blows up, giving Sara a few valuable seconds.

“ _Lumos_ ,” Sara whispers, crouching low. Nothing happens, and Sara wants to cry.

Intent.

She suddenly remembers what Ava had said in that one class. If nonverbal spellcasting relies on intent, then surely wandless magic follows the same pattern. Sara concentrates hard, picturing her wand somewhere on the forest floor, the tip lighting up at her command.

“ _Lumos_ ,” she repeats firmly, stretching her hand out, and a light comes on about ten feet away from her.

She can hear the sounds of a duel raging behind her, so she knows she’s in the clear. Sara dashes forwards to retrieve her wand, and points it towards the shadowy figure, who is locked in a battle with both Amaya and Ava.

Sara turns to her right and sees Zari making a stealthy approach. They still have no idea who they’re fighting, but whoever it is, they’re very skilled with duelling. Just as Zari casts another Reductor curse, the figure blocks it and it redirects towards Amaya and Ava, sending both girls flying backwards.

The figure points their wand at Zari, who screams as she is lifted into the air and pushed backwards into a tree. Zari hits her head on the trunk, knocking herself unconscious, and Sara sends a curse towards the figure. In her haste, she misses, and suddenly she can’t move her limbs. She falls to the floor, helpless as she watches the figure collect Zari where she lies and almost floats away.

Sara knows she’s been hit with a full body-bind hex, and she can’t speak. Her hand grips her wand tightly, but she can’t manage any hand movements to do even a nonverbal spell. After maybe half a minute, Amaya and Ava find her, both of them caked in dirt and leaves. Sara imagines she doesn’t look much better.

Sara’s freed from the hex, and she jumps to her feet immediately.

“They took Zari,” she says immediately.

“Shit,” Amaya’s face is ashen, but her features quickly settle into determination. “Which way?”

Sara points in the direction their attacker went. “Amaya, you can’t go alone.”

“I can’t let her get hurt,” Amaya says fiercely. She hands Sara her broom. “Get help, I’m going to track them.”

“Don’t engage,” Ava warns her.

“No promises,” Amaya replies distractedly, already heading off in the direction Sara had pointed in. “Now, go!”

She turns and jogs away. Sara and Ava look at each other, stricken.

“Come on,” Ava says, and Sara mounts the broom, leaving space for Ava to climb on behind her.

“Hold on,” she warns, and waits until Ava’s arms are wrapped securely around her waist before pushing off hard with her feet.

The Thunderbolt VII takes off like a rocket, and Sara grips it tightly as they shoot upwards, climbing above the forest and powering off in the direction of the castle. In any other situation, Sara would be marvelling at the speed of Amaya’s broom, but now really isn’t the time.

Ava clings on to her tightly, and Sara can feel her pressed securely into her back as the wind whips at their hair. They reach the castle in a matter of minutes, and Sara knows the front doors will be locked again by this time at night.

Just like last time, she heads for Professor Hunter’s office. She spots his window, and aims straight for it. Sara brakes, but she forgets this broom isn’t her reliable Firebolt Supreme, and they don’t stop in time.

She hears Ava yell as the glass of the window shatters. It slows them down enough that they both tumble to the floor, rolling over and up onto their knees. Sara looks up at where Hunter is standing, open-mouthed and disbelieving.

“Sorry!” Sara says as she and Ava clamber to their feet. “We need your help again.”

“Excuse me?” Hunter says, still in shock from their entrance.

“Professor, two of our friends are in danger,” Ava says, and Sara barely stops to register that Ava thinks of Amaya and Zari as her friends now.

“We fucked up,” Sara explains. “We went after the dark wizard who’s been trying to attack the Unicorns, and they captured Zari Tomaz.”

“You did _what_?” Hunter’s pissed, there’s no doubt about it.

“Well you weren’t exactly doing anything!” Sara retorts, and Hunter drags his hands through his hair.

“That you’re aware of,” he replies frantically. “I was going to tell you this soon, but seeing as you’ve decided to take matters into your own hands, I suppose now is as good a time as any.”

Sara glances at Ava, who looks just as panicked and confused as she feels.

“My suspicion is that the man who took Zari – yes, a man – is named Damien Darhk,” Hunter begins, and Sara steps forwards angrily.

“And you were going to tell us this _when_?”

“Miss Lance,” Professor Hunter warns. “Now is not the time for finger pointing.”

Sara grits her teeth, glaring, and Hunter takes that as his cue to continue.

“I don’t know how much you know about Darhk, but he’s known for being a supporter of Voldemort back when he was alive,” Hunter says, leaning his hands on his desk. “It appears he’s somehow infiltrated the grounds and is now trying to slay a Unicorn.”

“Why?” Ava asks, looking lost.

“I believe he is trying to resurrect Voldemort,” Hunter admits.

“No,” Ava says. “That war took everything away from my family. We can’t let Darhk resurrect him; how would that even work?”

“Yeah, Unicorn blood keeps you alive,” Sara reasons. “It doesn’t bring you back from the dead.”

“I believe Darhk is in possession of a time turner,” Professor Hunter admits, and Sara wants to scream in frustration.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Miss Lance—”

“No, Professor, she’s right,” Ava says loudly. “How long have you had these beliefs?”

“A few weeks,” Hunter says.

“You mean you knew _before_ we even came to you about the Unicorn?” Ava exclaims.

“Not for certain,” Hunter defends. “I still don’t know for certain, but I have my suspicions.”

“Can I remind you that Zari and probably Amaya are in serious danger right now?” Sara speaks up again, and Ava backs off.

“I’m afraid Miss Tomaz and Miss Jiwe are probably dead, or close to it,” Hunter says.

“What?!” Sara shouts, her wand shooting sparks at her side.

“Which is why I’m giving you this,” Hunter says, pulling a golden chain out of his pocket and handing it over. Sara recognises it immediately.

“A time turner?” Ava asks, stepping closer to Sara to examine it.

“Yes,” Professor Hunter confirms. “If you and Miss Sharpe go back in time to before your friends were taken, you can save them and stop Darhk from travelling back to when Voldemort was alive.”

“One question,” Sara says slowly. “Obviously I wasn’t there when Voldemort was killed, but according to the stories he was struck down where he stood. There wouldn’t have been time to give him Unicorn blood.”

“I never said I’d worked it all out,” Hunter says. “Just stop him.”

Sara loops the gold chain around her and Ava’s necks. “Three hours should be enough, right?”

Professor Hunter nods, and Sara spins the dial on the time turner three times, one for each hour.

“Wait!” Hunter begins to yell. “It’s a new model, you only need to—”

The rest of his sentence is cut off as everything around them blurs. It’s like life is playing in reverse, but at a dizzying speed, and Sara wonders if they’re going to end up in Hunter’s office again, just three hours earlier. But when she looks outside the window, it goes from dark to light and back again several times, and a niggling fear in her stomach begins.

When the world stills again, Sara takes a gasping breath, fighting the urge to be sick. Ava looks similarly pale, and they look around the Hunter-less office as they regain their balance. It’s dark outside again, and something doesn’t feel right.

“This doesn’t feel like three hours ago,” Sara comments uneasily, taking the chain off them as she walks over to the desk.

“That’s because it’s not,” Ava says after a moment of silence, stood over by the wall. “What Professor Hunter was saying before we disappeared…” she turns to look at Sara, pointing to the date circled on the calendar. “It’s three weeks ago.”

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed!
> 
> also if you disagree with sortings please don't start an argument with anyone, i have my own justifications for everybody which i'm happy to talk about on my tumblr at ilovemyships :)


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